FFA All Request Valentine's Party
by Lyra Kamiya
Summary: Every chapter is a different pairing - various drabbles of romance or unrequited love, as were requested on Valentine's. Still many more to come! Check chapter list for full pairing list.
1. RedYellow Mangaverse

**A/N: **For Valentine's this year, I and the rest of the FicFags Anonymous decided to put up an all-request thread. The idea was to give people a chance to get something written for their pairing, whether it was canon, common, crack, or obscure. While a few others helped, in the end I took responsibility to do most of the prompts on my own. Unfortunately, between this fact and a dislocated shoulder, I'm not done with all of them yet. Fortunately, my shoulder's now back in working order and I'm back on track to finish them all within the week.

Mind you, this is kind of a massive undertaking. As of the completion of Silver/Yellow, this is the **remaining prompts to fill:** (pastebin / com) /7BD9h8wY

**I'll be posting everything I've written, as well as a few of the fills that people without accounts put up, and linking to what others have posted.**  
Mega's contribution: /s/6741151/1/Valentines_Day_minifics  
Orange's: /s/6762107/1/Valentines_Day_in_Moments

Please treat the chapter list as a table of contents and feel free to skip to the pairings that appeal to you. Be warned that a few of these got a little sexual, but I was trying to focus on romance and/or unrequited love, as they are the primary emotions of Valentine's.

Any specific details for each prompt will be posted under the pairing in each fic.

Please let me know if you'd like your pairing added to the request list, and which pairings you'd like to see me write more of in the future. The list came out as about half/half things I'm used to and things I'd never thought of before, so I'm definitely open to suggestions.

* * *

**Red/Yellow**

_Mangaverse_

He found her waiting for him at the edge of Pallet, looking just a little more frazzled and somehow a little more feminine than usual, part of her hair loose and hanging around her face. Whether it was there by design or simply from the rush she'd been in to get here, he didn't know, but he couldn't help but think she looked just a little cuter this way.

"Yellow... What are you doing here?" he said with a smile, adjusting his hat and extending a hand in greeting. She blushed, stammering and lowering her head, and for the first time he noticed her arms tucked behind her, clearly holding something to her back.

"I-I," she stuttered, pretending to watch as Chuchu greeted Pika, though her eyes went wide and her gaze shifted when they shared the pikachu equivalent of a kiss. "It-"

Red chuckled, reaching up with his still-extended hand to pat her on the shoulder. He could guess already why she was here - even if the date hadn't given it away, the bit of ribbon visible at her side did. Yellow's actions had spoken of her crush on Red long before she'd been aware of it herself, and so far he was undecided on how to respond.

She looked absolutely lovely today though, and he felt an odd sense of pride well in his chest as she suddenly took a deep breath, swinging the small package around in front of her and spouting "Happyred'sdayvalentine" as one large word, her hands trembling slightly.

"Thank you," he said simply, not correcting her as he took the gift gently, letting his hands brush across hers as it passed between them.

Her blush deepened until she and Chuchu could have been twins as she jerked her hands back, wringing them together at her waist. "I... Homemade chocolates," she explained. "Blue showed me how."

"I'm surprised she'd know how," he laughed, examining the gift wrapping carefully. Pika darted up his side to lean out and sniff at the package curiously, leaving a moment of silence between them where Yellow began to sway in place.

"W-well, I know you're leaving, so, you're probably in a hurry, and I'll let you go," she rambled suddenly. "B-but please let me know how you like the gift! I... making it was fun, and I want to do even better next time," she added.

"I'm sure it'll be delicious," Red answered, and she smiled, then quickly turned to leave.

He stopped her with a hand on her arm, and her breath caught so hard she thought she might faint on the spot.

"I don't think I'll be back in time for White Day," he said, head bowed slightly.

"I-it's okay!" she answered, holding her hands up in defense and waving them slightly. "You don't need to-"

Red's free hand slipped her hat off, his lips pressing to her bare forehead, the other still gripping the present to his chest. "I've got a bit of time before I need to go. Why don't we sit somewhere and share the chocolates you made?"

"I-I..." Yellow gulped, then found one of her hands attached to the older boy's sleeve, and suddenly, the embarrassment seemed to fade. "...Yes," she said, with the confidence he knew her for. "I'd like that."


	2. GiovanniLeaf Gameverse

**Giovanni/Leaf**

_Gameverse_

She knew he was old enough to be her father. That wasn't the part that bothered her. Strangely, she was also unfazed by the fact he'd had her captured and now bound to a chair in front of him. And him being the leader of a large criminal organization was part of the issue, but not the root of it.

Leaf hated Giovanni, as he stared at her, eyes filled with condescension, not for the details but for the larger fact that they all lead up to: that she could never be his. That, no matter how much he haunted her thoughts and dreams, no matter how much a man with so much power made her heart beat arrhythmically... the very notion was a betrayal to everything she stood for, everything she'd fought for until now.

She'd taken down his entire corporation, and until now she'd thought herself great for it. In the logical part of her mind she still knew it had been the right thing to do, didn't regret it.

But instead of hearing the victorious lecture her captor was painting the room with, she could hear only the strong baritone of his voice sending shivers through her. That logical sliver was shrinking with each passing word, her mind consumed by imaginings of another world where she had never thwarted his plans and instead stood beside him, where they ruled together.

She loved him, despite what he stood for. She didn't truly know him, but he had such grand dreams, strove for so much power, and had the strength and intelligence to gain it. Only the incompetence of his underlings had let her get this far; or perhaps it was just an undying desire to see him again, after they'd first met months before.

Maybe there had come a point where she'd only continued to challenge Team Rocket because she wanted to see their leader again. Because she'd hoped for this day where they would be left, one of them the other's captor. Where, for a few minutes, they'd have no concerns except each other.

It was as close as she'd ever get to being with him.

Leaf hated Giovanni, only because he met her eyes with contempt instead of the love she wanted to find there.


	3. BurghBrycen Gameverse

**Burgh/Brycen** (Arti/Hachiku)

_Gameverse_

Burgh was torn from his sketchbook by the sound of claws scuttling across the floor behind him. He turned in search of the sound, waiting carefully to hear where the source had run off to.

None of his bugs made noises likw that, so there was really only one option, unless some challenger had gotten overly nosey - and certainly, none of his assistants would allow such a thing to happen. And so he eased his cloak off his shoulders as he inched around the corner, holding it out...

And leapt upon the small, white bear sitting on his gym floor, pinning it under the large cape and bundling it quickly.

"Ah-hah! I caught you!" he laughed triumphantly, cocking one hand on his hip as he slung his catch over his shoulder, looking around for Cubchoo's trainer.

"Brycen, where are you~?" he called, striding through the gym in search of his friend. He found him a couple minutes later, carefully stepping around the stickier sections of the gym floor, eyeing it suspiciously.

"Come now," he chuckled, patting the other gym leader on his covered shoulder. "If this little guy isn't afraid of the honey, why are you?"

"That's where he went," Brycen replied sternly, looking both relieved and embarrassed as Burgh unbundled the cub and handed him carefully back to his trainer.

"Of course. Every time you bring him here, he gets right into the honey. Since the day he hatched. You shouldn't be surprised by now. I never am." He sighed, smiling widely as he held his hands up in a shrug.

"His father was an Ursaring," he answered, trying to sound apologetic but coming across only as nervous. "...Must your decorating be this unusual?"

"Oh, don't worry so much. I'll mix it up again in a couple months. Keep it interesting~," Burgh grinned, admiring the scenery with a nod. "I actually just repainted it a couple weeks ago."

"I noticed. It... matches your pants," he offered, setting down his young charge and clearing his throat.

"You know, you're right! I suppose it does. I hadn't noticed." Then he heard Brycen's slight cough and spun around. "Oh, right! So what do I owe the pleasure of your company today, hmm? You know, you shouldn't visit me so often, not without reason. You might miss challengers! And people might start talking," he teased, winking at the ice trainer.

He missed the other leader's blush, perhaps because he was used to him being too serious and easily flustered, or perhaps because his mask hid it. "Well. Now that you mention it, I had something to ask you," he said, straightening his posture.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Burgh spouted, much to the other man's surprise, until it was obvious that he was oblivious as ever: "Of course I'll come decorate your gym for you!"


	4. RedWhite Crackverse

**Red/Winnie** (White)

_Crackverse; sex_

She shouldn't have.

And that was exactly why she wanted to so badly.

Winnie was moaning breathlessly, head tilted back until her spine was arched clear off the bed, her body trying to push closer still to the man pounding into her, staring down at her with eyes she couldn't bear to look into. It wasn't because those eyes didn't belong to her; it was because the wisdom and depth she found there haunted her each time they caught hers, making her feel dirty for her ecstatic screams.

Winnie never felt dirty about anything she did. That Red even came close to forcing that feeling from her spoke volumes, and had made this night into a game. The object was for her to take in as much of him as possible, to memorize everything he had to offer, and to make him lose as much control as possible, before he managed to wear her out physically or emotionally.

She had no idea if he knew they were playing.

It had started simply enough, though far from innocently. Blake was out of town. Green was out of town. Both of them were effectively single for the weekend, commitments or not; Red had more secrets than everyone he knew put together, and Winnie only blabbed when she wanted to. Not that she'd gone into the kitchen expecting this, not at all.

But for all her love for Blake, Winnie loved strength and mystery more. Every Champion there ever was piqued her interest, and living with one for so long without trying to get her hands on him had been a test of her self-control.

And somewhat of her self-esteem. He was the one person she had never been sure she could get. Looks didn't matter to Red, or so she'd thought.

But even he had a breaking point, and her flimsy blue nighty and the way it didn't quite hide her whole ass had found it.

Her fingers unlatched from the pillow beneath her, reaching stiffly to run along the scars across Red's ribs. She'd never know what caused them. She was scared to know, really; she knew they were evidence of a strength she could never stand up against. His abs flexed with every stroke into her, and each time they contracted she felt another yelp escape her lips. They weren't the same six-pack that either of their boyfriends sported, but they were still perfectly flat, leading down to the tool he was tearing apart her will with. What he lacked in size he had made up for a thousand fold with technique, baffling her with all his knowhow despite having only a handful of months on her in age.

Everything about him drove her mad, both with physical ecstasy beyond what she was accustomed to and moreso with the feelings he was driving into her.

She couldn't tell what name she shouted as she came below him, but when her eyes focused again they found his before she could stop herself.

There was so much judgment waiting in that crimson hue, and it burned through her. Winnie thought of running, thought of moving out right then and there.

And yet they'd both come to the arena willingly.

Her hands clenched as she stared back, taking every ounce of her own strength not to pull her gaze away. There was so much he could teach her, and she'd never understand any of it; certainly, she'd never learn any of it simply from fucking him.

But it was the closest she would ever come to being able to understand him, and the closest she'd ever come to matching, let alone besting, the Champion of all champions.

"Again," she commanded, and he simply nodded.


	5. GreenRed Crackverse

**Green/Red**

_Game or crackverse; something really fluffy_

"Pikachu."

Green glanced over at his boyfriend, wondering what he was suddenly on about. Red didn't speak much, so for him to pipe up in public was rare. In this case, it was also slightly confusing, as the pokémon he was referring to was safe at home today, not riding on his trainer's shoulder as normal.

"Pikachu," he repeated, pointing into the window of the arcade they were passing. "So cute..." he added, causing Green to mentally facepalm even as Red reached up and tugged slightly on his sleeve.

He stared into the window himself for a moment, noticing a crane game filled with plush pokémon on the other side of the window; tucked into one corner, only its head sticking out of the pile, was a lone pikachu doll, smiling widely. Green sighed, starting to shake his head until he felt the tug on his sleeve get a little stronger.

His eyes met Red's, which were the widest he'd seen them since before they were trainers, and the sigh caught in his throat, overtaken by a mimic of what Red had said the moment before. _'So cute,'_ he barely resisted saying aloud at his boyfriend's pout, before he coughed, turning away from the window to hide his slight blush.

"I've got a few quarters, I guess we can try to get it," he offered, then found himself being rushed into the arcade by one arm before the other could pull his change from his pocket.

Several minutes and a few trips to the change machine later, they'd accidentally picked up the shinx that had been next to the pikachu, but it was slowly becoming clear they weren't getting what they'd come for.

"These things are rigged anyway," Green grumbled as he lost his last quarter, kicking the machine. "You've got a real pikachu at home, you don't need a plush," he offered Red, who nodded, turning the shinx in his hands. Green was sure Red didn't pout, but he was also sure he looked like he was, and grabbed the boy's hand to walk out of the store quickly before his pride could be bruised further.

The next afternoon Red woke up to find, to his surprise, the pikachu plush sitting on the kitchen table, a bow wrapped around its neck carefully, his own pikachu sniffing it suspiciously.

"Thank you," he told Green with a calm smile the next time he saw him, making the plush give him a kiss on the nose.

Strangely enough, that was precisely what his sister Daisy hadn't said when he'd handed her the other 30-odd plushes that had been in the machine, after buying the whole game's worth from the shop owner. But right now, despite his face being filled with yellow felt, it was worth it.


	6. MewtwoRed Mangaverse

**Mewtwo/Red**

_Mangaverse; first kiss_

"Red..."

It was still strange to feel the way he "spoke" to me. His thoughts in my head, roughly. And yet it was how he communicated, and very deliberately at that.

"Yes?" I asked, turning to smile at him. His voice sounded like he had something on his mind. Of course, I'd found with time that Mewtwo always had something on his mind; he did not go very long without thinking about something deep. And so I prepared to answer another of his existential questions.

"I feel I must speak with you," he explained, standing before me, and I nodded.

"Of course. Whatever it is, go for it."

I was prepared for something existential and deep; something that would make me think. I was not prepared for what was actually on his mind.

"I believe I've come to be fond of you," he said. "There is a... feeling that appears within my chest," his fingers rose to just above his heart, resting there, "...I experience it only when I am thinking of you. Particularly when I think of your kindness to me, or of your smile."

I laughed at the thought that crossed my mind, dismissing it quickly, though my eyes still went wide for a second. Mewtwo was clearly describing the sensation of love to me, at least, it sounded like what they talk about in the poems and the sappy movies. But he was a pokemon, and they didn't feel love in the same way humans do - at least as far as I knew - at least not the romantic sort. So obviously the love he was describing for me was just for a friend. I continued to laugh at my momentary panic.

"...I'm sorry," he said, tilting his head, "but I'm unsure what's amusing."

I shook my head. "No, sorry," I answered. "It was something else that was funny. don't worry, Mewtwo. It's natural to feel that way about your friends."

"...Does this mean that your heart races as well when I smile to you, Red?" There was a note of concern, but also... hope in his voice.

And another moment of panic flashing through me. Did I? And that meant-

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand," I answered him, apologizing. "Are you saying... that's how you feel when you're around me? That your... heart races?"

"Among other sensations. Our time together brings me a great joy. From what I have come to understand, I believe I feel... Love for you, Red. I am unsure, however, it seems like the logical conclusion. Though it is an illogical notion in of itself..."

"...Oh." I felt my face flush for whatever reason, nervousness welling in my chest. "I... I don't know if it's logical or not," I stammered, trying to make sense of it myself. "Illogical" seemed accurate, without a doubt. After all, genetically modified or not, he was still a pokemon. Not to mention we were both guys, at least I was pretty sure he was a guy...

"What word would you use for it then?"

"Unexpected?" I offered. "A little weird? I mean... If I'm getting what you're saying right?" Maybe I was just jumping to conclusions. Except I'd jumped to them a little too easily...

"...My apologies, I did not expect this to be such an... uncomfortable subject," he said, averting his gaze. "I have no personal experience with such emotions, and have only heard them in a positive regard before... But I seem to have brought you embarrassment..."

"It-" What did I say to him? Was it really right to dismiss his feelings so easily? Pokemon or not, his intelligence surpassed mine easily, so who knew what else was human or more about him? To say pokemon didn't actually feel love so easily felt... wrong, considering everything else I'd found out they were capable of over the years. "It is positive. Usually. As long as... both people feel the same way."

"I see," he said, his voice seeming to grow hollow. "Then... You do not feel love for me? Your heart doesn't race when we interact?"

But my heart *was* racing. And I did feel love for him, albeit I had thought of it only as the same love I felt for all my friends and pokemon. "I don't know," I answered honestly after a moment's thought. "I don't really spend a lot of time thinking about these things."

"These things?"

"Relationships, love, mushy stuff?" I laughed a bit, kicking my foot against the ground. "I'm usually too busy saving the world."

"Yes... I usually am busy with that too." I couldn't tell if he sounded amused or confused. I was never sure if he meant to send what emotion I did feel from him though. "I'm not sure what you mean by 'mushy'... And do we not already have a relationship?"

I thought of explaining to him that what we had wasn't quite what I meant, but somehow it seemed pointless. "I'll think about it. I..." But the truth had already started to form in my mind, about how the bond I had with him had never seemed quite the same as my other partners. "It would be complicated. For us to be together."

I felt for a moment like he was trying to pull more information from me, mentally, but then it stopped, like he felt it would be rude. "...Are we not already together? I think there are nuances to what you're saying that I don't understand..."

"Not like, standing here together... like..." How to explain it to him?

And then, to my surprise, I had turned fully toward him and was standing on my toes, remembering how tall he was.

I don't know why I kissed him that day, especially since it was weeks and lots of conversations - many of them involving Green shouting at me in disbelief - before we would kiss again. But I did, and felt myself smiling after, as I said, "I mean together like that."

I learned, at that moment, that Mewtwo, for all his stubbornness and mystique, still blushed when he was embarrassed.


	7. PaulN Animeverse

**A/N:** The next three fics are ones filled by other FFA members who don't have accounts of their own so they asked me to post them. The next one I'll be posting will be Silver/Yellow.

**Paul/N**

_Animeverse_

_(by Disc Laimer)_

"Electivire, Brick Break!" the purple-haired trainer shouted, and the Electric-type behemoth lunged for his opponent's Pokemon.

"Zoroark, Focus Blast!" The Zoroark unleashed a burst of energy at the oncoming Electivire, knocking it to the ground. Electivire struggled to stand back up, but slumped back into the dust, defeated. His trainer returned it to it's ball.

"Pathetic," he murmured as he replaced the ball on his belt. A chord in N's heart tore at the mistreatment of such a magnificent beast. A tear leaked out of his eye and snuck down his cheek as Paul turned and began to walk away. N ran after him, adjusting his hat in the process.

"Hey, stop!" he called after Paul. Paul turned around and stared at N as he skid to a stop.

"What do you want? You already won."

N panted for a moment, then replied: "You really should treat your Pokemon better. They're your friends, not tools."

"Hmph. You sound just like my brother."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Yes. It is." Paul spun back around and continued walking. N hurried up to walk alongside him.

"Why is that? He sounds like a good guy to me." Paul grunted, just wanting to get away from the Unovan weirdo.

"He's always going on about how I should treat my Pokemon better, but it never did _him_ any good. I'm trying to _win_, anything else is trivial." N looked away for a moment, staring off at the skyline as the sun began to dip over the horizon. After a moment, he looked back at the young trainer.

"Sure, it's great to win, but if your Pokemon hate you for it, what's the point?" Paul slipped a Poke Ball into his palm and stared at it.

"Hate..."

"I bet if you were a little nicer to them, they might work a little harder. They'll want to win more, too, because it's something they can share with you, instead of just something to avoid punishment." Paul lifted his head and gazed down off the road.

"I guess... I never really thought of it that way."

"That's why I'm here."

Paul glanced up at the green-haired trainer. Two soft green eyes glanced back at him, and his lips parted in the first genuine smile he'd had in a long time.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Perhaps this N guy wasn't so bad after all.


	8. KamitsureArti Gameverse

**Kamitsure/Arti**

_Gameverse_

_(by Wrex)_

Up until recently she has always been an unreachable goal to him. Ever since they were children going to the same high school, she's been somewhat of an enigma. She just seemed so distant, shut off from the world, constantly listening to music on her headphones. Arti was one of the few people she ever talked too, one of the few that she allowed to get close to her.

...

And here she was now, a famous super model AND a gymleader. Arti always wondered "Why she would even bother with the shy art geek from high school when she could have practically anyone in the world?"

He asked her this question while she was sitting right next to him under one of the biggest tree's in Pinwheel forest, her head leaning on his shoulder

Her reply still echoes in the corners of his heart.

"I could travel all over Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova, and never find anyone quite like you".


	9. EthanHugpillow Gameverse

**Ethan/HugPillow **(Kind of onesided Ethan/Blue)

_Gameverse_

_(by PKMN Master Brendan)_

If there is one thing Ethan hates more than losing a Pokemon battle, it was the one day of the year that calibrates "love" and compassion, that, of course, was Valentine's Day. A day where couples gloat about how much better they are than everyone else simply for the fact that they had found a partner and shower each other with pointless gifts and sweets. At least, that's how Ethan sees it as.

It's everywhere. So much so that it makes him sick to his stomach. From the over decoration at his local Pokemart with dangling cardboard hearts and red and pink balloons littered at the end of the aisles to even having to deal with several of his seniors and juniors who all seemed to have a special someone to spend the day with. From Brendan, who has May. Lucas, who has Dawn, and even his most hated and respected friend, Silver, has Lyra. His neighbor who for the life of him, could not figure out why she even decided to go out with that egotistical and sometimes Emo prick.

It's not like Ethan liked Lyra or anything. He just couldn't stand that an asshole like him could even get anybody to like him in that way. He tried hard not to think about it as it killed him a little inside every time he did. So he went off and did what he always does on days and situations like this. Confine himself in his room and just let the day pass by. Which is what he is doing, sitting alone, in the dark, lights off, window shades closed and TV off. Laying on his bed with a large body pillow right next to him.

"This sucks!" he moaned loudly to nobody but the large soft cushion. Which upon better inspection, has a printout of a life size female on the pillow. A famous female trainer from the Kanto Region. He then turned over so that his right arm was draped over the large pillow and he pulled it in close. "Everyone and their retarded relationships and retarded cards and flowers, it's all bullshit!"

He continued to rant at the pillow while snuggling much closer to it. "This day is all a scam to swindle couples to waste money on things they could get everyday and even cheaper than what it would be on this day!" He then buried his face into the pillow and continued to whine. "Never any thought for us single folk. Despite that I bet you any sum of money that most of the crap that is bought is from single people who mail it to themselves thinking that they have someone who cares for them while the real couples are busy fucking in some fancy hotel or something!" Ethan now getting a little louder. "They should start calling it what it truly is doing! Pointing out and berating all the single and lonely people in the World!" He then took his other arm and slid it under the pillow and brought it a little closer to him.

"But you won't berate me, Blue." He cooed at the body pillow Now resting his face next to "Blue's" face. "Happy Singles Awareness Day." He said softly as he planted a kiss in the area where the woman's lips were printed on and then wraps one leg around the midsection of the pillow and begins to lightly make humping motions on the pillow.

He keeps at it for maybe about a minute or two before he starts to go at it a bit harder. Just when he was really starting to get into it, the door to his room opened up and lets a large ray of light shine throughout all of his room to slowly reveal his mother who was standing at the door. "Ethan honey." His mom called out to him, knocking on his door while she pushed it all the way open. A rather pointless gesture as she walked into her son seemingly dry humping a body pillow and froze in her tracks.

"Gaah! Mom!" Ethan exclaimed, throwing his body pillow off the bed and closes his legs to hide the hard on he has from his pretend sex. "What the hell mom! Knock before you open the door!" His face was beet red from both embarrassment and anger.

"I..., I just wanted to tell you that you received a letter in the mail." She had just said to him in monotone as opposed to the loving tone she had when she entered the room, before catching him in 'an act'. She then simply dropped the letter on his desk right next to the door and turned around and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Ethan sat on his bed for several minutes with his head buried in his hands. Totally embarrassed that his own mother caught him in a moment of desperation. He then decided to get up and head over to his desk to see who would send him a letter. There was no return address on the envelope, he then opened it to reveal a Valentine's card with several heart shaped patterns all over the card. He lightly smiled to himself and opened the card and read what the sender had wrote.

'To Ethan

'Happy Single Awareness Day'

'From Ethan'


	10. SilverYellow Mangaverse

**A/N:** Argh, I hate it when ones that were supposed to be shippy turn out with only undertones. Original requester, if you're out there, let me know if this is good for you or not. If not, let me know, and I'll write some sort of "already together" piece to make up for it. By the way, same goes to ANY of the requesters; I want my readers satisfied!

**Silver/Yellow**

_Mangaverse_

Silver was always alone.

It wasn't a complaint, it was just a fact. He liked to think he liked it that way, really. His pokemon were all he needed; really, Sneasel was all he needed, but the others were handy to have when tougher opponents came along.

Then Blue had come along and made him get used to having another person around, like he had when he was younger. And now she was gone, and he was pretty sure he liked it better this way, even if he had kind of enjoyed her being there.

But then this girl...

She was so small he felt a certain amount of disbelief to her existence, let alone to the idea of her being older than him. But Yellow was quickly astounding him with her abilities, showing an ability to gain his pokemon's trust and even, strangely, read their minds.

Part of him resented it. Sneasel was his, and he always hated when he trusted someone, especially so quickly. Probably because Silver regretted how long it had taken him to trust Sneasel and the others, but mostly because he was just possessive like that. It frustrated him to think Yellow had done in an instant what it took so long to do.

It shocked him to think she was helping him, when they'd only just met.

She wasn't the first who'd helped him, but she was the first to help without anything to gain themselves. She had volunteered her assistance the moment she'd heard his situation, before even knowing if he needed or wanted help. But she hadn't forced it on him, either. She'd just done it, like it was natural to her. She didn't just treat it like the "right" thing to do; it really seemed like no other possibility had even crossed Yellow's mind.

At the time he had no idea exactly what was in store for him, thanks to her help. Her peek into Sneasel's mind was a Pandora's box he would never entirely stop regretting opening. But at that moment, it was all he had for insight into the greatest mystery of his life: his existence itself.

Silver wondered how he could thank her. The question of why he wanted to did manage to surface in his mind, but he'd already answered it himself. It wasn't just the right thing to do; it was the only thing. That much was a fact.


	11. RubySapphire Mangaverse

**Ruby/Sapphire**

_Mangaverse_

Ruby could feel the beads of sweat rolling down his forehead by now; his nerves were really starting to get to him.

And she was doing nothing to make it better, by just being THERE every time he turned around.

He knew what she wanted. Knew why she was there, what she was after. He knew exactly why Sapphire kept looming so close behind him that sometimes he could feel her breath on his neck. To say it was unnerving was an understatement.

At the very least, he had to admit that at least she knew what she wanted. He had to admire that in anyone, especially the girl he was sort-of-kind-of-I-guess-that's-what-we'll-call-it dating. But it was, at this point, bordering on obnoxious.

"Is it done yet?" she asked for the fourth time that hour, sniffing the air. One arm reached past him toward the counter, and he batted her hands away from the baking sheet, glaring at her defensively, wielding his fork.

"I haven't even put them in the oven, how could they be done?"

"Can I lick the spoon, then?" she asked, and he tried not to meet her eyes. They were so wide, so sparkly, that he knew he'd have to give in, and that would be entirely counterproductive right now. The cookie dough had raw eggs in it, and she shouldn't be eat-

"HEY!" he shouted, grabbing her wrist before her finger could reach her mouth. She'd swiped it in the bowl and was about to lick it. "Okay, that's just gross." He tried very hard to ignore the pout now adorning her face, only to have her hand suddenly jerk forward, smearing the dough across his nose. "SAPPHIRE!"

She giggled, pulling her hands away as he let go to wipe his face off, grabbing the bowl from the counter and dashing off with it before he could catch her. "Mine now!" she half-cackled from the doorway, running her finger around the rim and sticking it in her mouth with a satisfied "yummmm..."

Ruby sighed, turning back to crosshatch the last of the cookies just as the oven beeped; it was done preheating. He supposed letting her eat what was left in the bowl wouldn't be too bad, though it would ruin her appetite probably. No sense in being a jerk about it. So he popped the oven open and pushed in the cookie sheet, standing to set the timer for the required 12 minutes.

It had only taken him about 15 minutes to mix the ingredients and put the cookies on the sheet, but Sapphire had gotten this impatient just from that waiting. And now she was licking the last of the dough from the bottom of the bowl, so that when she put it down, he noticed some had gotten on her chin... And she was staring at the oven impatiently. He'd have to find some way to distract her, lest she try to eat them all while they were only half-baked.

"I didn't know you loved cookies this much," he laughed, walking toward her to wipe her chin with his thumb.

"I haven't had homemade cookies in YEARS," she defended, pulling back slightly and blushing when he touched her face. "...So yours better be worth the wait, or else," she muttered, averting her gaze.

Ruby found himself smiling at her sudden change in demeanor, and chuckled softly, which only made her brows furrow and blush darken further. "You just had some on your-"

He was cut off by her noticing that he hadn't gotten all the dough off his nose, and, unlike his more tactful approach, licking it off.

It occurred to him that right now, her kisses would taste like sugar cookies, and suddenly he knew how to stay occupied until their baking was done.


	12. JessieJames Animeverse

**Jessie/James**  
_Animeverse_

Every night he went to bed with the same feeling:

He just wanted to take her away from it all.

He'd watch Jessie carefully brush her hair out and then struggle to find a way to get comfortable in whatever corner of the forest they were sleeping in tonight, then drift off to sleep, looking grumpy as always but still oh-so-beautiful. Sometimes, when Meowth was asleep as well, he'd just stare at her for hours, treasuring each time she smiled, wondering what she was dreaming about.

He knew that he could easily snap his fingers and take them both away from there. He'd realized long before that he loved her, and he thought that by now, his parents would accept her if it meant having their son back. He missed home, missed his parents, missed Chimey, and while he didn't miss Jessibell... He was certain that he could marry Jessie and never have to hear that awful woman's name again. That his parents would respect that choice, and then he and she could live in peace and riches forever, no more stress, no more chasing down the twerps, no more snow sandwiches, and no more pine needles in their hair.

But Jessie had voiced before that she wanted to earn her fame and money – honestly or dishonestly, it didn't matter, but she wanted it on her own, not handed to her. Not to mention that he was quite certain she wouldn't marry him so easily, not even just for the money or just to keep Jessibell off of him. The abuse she dished out, the distance she kept between them, and the way she flirted with other men said it all; she thought of James only as her partner at worst, friend at best. She would never see him the way he saw her.

So as he drifted off to sleep each night, he thought long and hard about ways to help her win more contests, because it was the only way he knew to make her happy. And thinking about it made him smile all through the night.

Every morning she woke up with the same feeling:

She just wanted to get away from it all.

Sometimes she'd wake up from dreams of a life of luxury in one of James's many villas, just them, their pokémon, and a big kitchen for Meowth. She'd joined Team Rocket under the romantic notion of proving herself, earning money and notoriety by becoming a big criminal, and fulfilling promises to another man... A man she was sure didn't even remember her by now.

How many years had she wasted, running around after the same group of kids, trying to steal their pokémon or any other ones that might finally earn her and James the respect and promotions they were after? Three or four at least; she'd lost track both of time and of the places they'd been by now. Finally she'd found some sense of purpose beyond the daily monotony, something to distract her from her constant hunger and broken nails, in the form of Coordinating. She was, surprisingly, fairly good at it too, though James's pokémon were better suited for it than her own, and most of her victories came with their help. Most everything came only with James's help; it was quite likely she wouldn't have survived this long without him by her side.

So most mornings, she'd wake up before him – because James slept like a baby and never woke up until someone made him, not from the sun like she tended to – and just watch him and the way he smiled for a while. She envied how easily pleased he was, how he could be happy out here when he had so much back home that he could claim in a heartbeat. Sometimes she'd reach for his hand, but always she'd stop herself halfway, not willing to let herself admit it.

After all, Jessie was quite certain that her literal partner in crime didn't swing her way; it was the only explanation she could imagine for why he hadn't made a move on her in all their time traveling together, and why he wanted to help her with her contests so much. It helped explain his resistance to going home and getting married, as well. And Jessie couldn't let herself go through the pain of being in love with a gay man... no matter how much the idea made her smile.


	13. YoungsterJoeyTPRattata

**A/N: **Everyone knew that this prompt and "Red/Ethan" were both nothing more than running gags, but we worked to fill them anyway. I may write my own later because I had a slightly less pure-lulz idea in my head for it, but here is BMF's for the time being.  
(Meanwhile, I'll have Ash/Latias, Trapinch/Phanpy, and Ash/Iris posted later today.)

**Youngster Joey/Top Percentage Rattata**

_..."Superman parody"_

_(by badmotherfuhrer)_

"Go, Rattata! I believe in you!" Joey shouted, throwing a Pokéball out. Arceus had been rampaging through the town for about an hour or so, destroying everything in his path. He had somehow grown to Godzilla-like proportions and went ape shit, angry at the ending of his favorite TV show.

"WHAT THE SHIT IS THIS! HOW CAN RACHEL TAKE ROSS BACK?" the folks on the ground heard him say, among other things, in his low, rumbling voice. No one really knew what he meant by any of it, but one thing was certain: he wasn't going to stop any time soon.

But Joey had other plans.

After Rattata had been deployed, he looked up and saw the excessive destruction around him, as well as the source of said destruction. Immediately running towards the nearest phone booth, which confused Joey, he got inside and quickly destroyed it in a cloud of dust, revealing his buff, comically muscular physique. He also somehow procured a pair of sunglasses.

"NOW I SHOW YOU MY TRUE FORM!" He screamed, jumping up and flying towards Arceus. Joey, mouth agape, was flabbergasted at what he just saw and heard.

"R-Rattata…?" He managed to squeak out. His beloved Rattata was literally kicking the shit out of Arceus, using all his newfound powers, such as freeze breath and laser eyes, to do so. It was all over in a matter of seconds, and when Rattata flew back down to street level to meet the press, he struck a pose. Joey couldn't explain it, but he was getting kind of turned on by all of this.

"Rattata!" He called, running over to the giant crowd that had gathered. Pushing his way through, Joey hugged his partner with all his might. "Oh, I just knew you could do it! It's like I always say, you're in the top percentage of Rattata!"

"Damn right!" Rattata said. "Now let's fuck!"

"Wait, what?" Joey started to say. But before he could get his bearings, Rattata had picked him up and flown at tremendous speed towards the nearest hotel.


	14. AshLatias Animeverse

**Ash/Latias **(With lots of one-sided Iris/Ash because it came out that way)

_Animeverse_

They'd managed to arrive at the Pokémon Center just minutes before the postman that day, and Ash had happily declared that they'd be staying the night there, both so everyone could have a rest and so he could call his mom to thank her; Unova and Kanto were so many time zones apart that it would be another couple of hours before Delia awoke.

Cilan and Iris knew of Ash's previous traveling companions by name and by a few tales he'd told them, but they'd never seen pictures and had no idea exactly how close he'd been to any of them. Since he'd arrived in Unova only intending to go on vacation, he hadn't brought most of his treasures with him, so until now, they'd only seen the half-pokéball he carried as a good luck charm from his childhood best friend.

Ash himself had yet to see the gifts Brock and Dawn had sent him, but they were there in the box. Dawn had sent him a gift shortly after he'd left Sinnoh, only for it to arrive while he was on his way across the ocean, while Brock hadn't sent anything until hearing that Ash had left on another adventure.

"No wonder the box was so heavy!" he laughed, pulling out a frying pan. "Good ol' Brock," he chuckled, reading the tag attached: "Try not to starve, this time I won't be able to feed you."

Cilan had sighed at the state of the well-used, cast iron pan, as well as the notion that Ash really was incapable of feeding himself. He avoided asking what Iris and he had eaten for the week before they'd met him, however.

The lure Misty had given him long ago came out of the box next, and Iris made some indignant rant about how self-important the girl must be, only to be stopped when the half-ribbon was pulled from the box next. Coordinating was still in its infancy in Unova, so he explained not only about May and the contest they had tied in, but also about its popularity back home. Cilan had listened in interest while Iris had continued to stare at the lure, eventually snapping and changing the subject in the form of pulling the last couple of things out of Ash's box for him.

He took a small gift-wrapped cube from her as she looked through the sketchbook that was the last item in the box – from Tracy, of course – commenting that she didn't know he could draw.

"I can't," he admitted, smiling as he opened Dawn's gift. "Well, kinda," he corrected as she passed the handful of pages he'd bothered to doodle on, "but it's not really my thing. I just keep it because it's important, since it's from my friend."

The package turned out to be a ball capsule, adorned with electric and bubble seals and with what he quickly realized was a pressed, laminated gracedia flower. "Oh wow," he grinned, reading the letter that came with it. "Thanks for making sure there was no need to worry."

Iris shifted in her seat, barely glancing at the ball before continuing to leaf through the mostly-empty sketchbook, pausing only when a loose page fell out near the end. "Well if YOU can't draw, who drew this?" she asked, holding up a portrait of him and Pikachu.

His grin suddenly faded, replaced by a much softer smile and a hint of the same forlornness that had followed any of his lost battles. He reached out and gently took the piece of paper from her, studying it for a minute, as his left hand raised to his cheek and touched it gingerly. "Oh, another girl?" Iris snorted, crossing her arms.

"Latias," he almost whispered, his smile growing a little.

"Latias? Like the pokémon that guards the beautiful city of canals?" Cilan asked, and Ash nodded. "Ohhh, it looked so lovely when I saw it in a travel guide. Simply exquisite! But for a pokémon to draw this well, that's lovely as well."

"She didn't draw it for me... Her friend did... but she gave it to me, as a goodbye present." His fingers were pressed lightly to his cheek again, his eyes starting to water just a bit. "Then she..." He blinked suddenly, seeming to rise from his trance for a second as Pikachu nuzzled his head under Ash's hand. "Haha, don't worry buddy. I'm okay, I just miss her," he assured his partner, scratching his head. "Maybe we should call up the museum later and see if we can talk to her?"

"You really do have a one track mind," Iris groaned, closing the sketchbook and shoving it toward Ash. "Even when it comes to love, pokémon come first."

Ash blushed, but he didn't deny it.

((**A/N:** I also had an Ash/Iris assigned to me, and so once the plot bunny got going I just couldn't help but write the two as pieces of a larger narrative. So fans of the latter, this actually goes straight into that, which'll be a chapter or two from now.))


	15. AshIris Animeverse

**A/N**: So I was GOING to post something else on the in between, but my muse for this fic just wouldn't leave me alone ._.; expect this to happen any time I get to a pairing I actually ship. BUT, Trapinch/Phanpy is almost done, and I know what the Pearl/Diamond fic is going to be after that... So more is on its way!

**Ash/Iris**  
_Animeverse_

Ash had spent most of the time before dinner carefully looking through the box of goodies his mom had sent, which in turn was largely composed of goodies his previous traveling companions had sent him. The time after dinner had been spent calling all his friends to say hi and to introduce Cilan and Iris to them; time zones meant it was still morning for most of who he was calling.

It had taken Ash a few tried to track down the two girls he'd traveled with between Misty and now, and even once he'd found Dawn, she'd only had a couple spare minutes to talk, apologizing and offering to find a time to call him later. He'd insisted on her at least meeting his new friends, to which she'd agreed.

Iris had already been on edge ever since seeing the barrage of gifts Ash had from "random girls", and had mysteriously said she didn't want her dessert that night and offered it to Ash instead. He'd thought little of it – he was used to girls being grumpy now and then – but it had only seemed to escalate each time he called her to the phone and she was greeted by another girl's face.

Now Dawn had blushed at the sight of her, pulling at her carefully-done hair nervously and looking a little sad as she said Iris looked "very pretty" and that she was "glad Ash had found new friends and wasn't lonely".

Iris hadn't returned to her seat after that, and instead had stormed out of the pokémon Center, slamming the door behind her. Ash looked enormously confused, while Cilan just sighed and started to pet Axew, who was looking extremely alarmed at his trainer/mother's outburst. "It's not your fault," he assured, and Pikachu added what the Sommelier thought was the same, but actually was more along the lines of "girls are nothing but trouble."

Ash had hastily said goodbye to his friend, asking her to call when she got a better chance, then rushed off after Iris, causing the door to slam a second time.

He found her on his first guess, up the tallest tree in the pokémon Center's yard, and stared up it for a moment, shouting for her to come down.

"I don't want to!" she yelled back, followed by what ash could swear was crying, but that just didn't seem like an Iris thing to do.

"Fine!" he hollered back, grabbing onto the nearest branch and starting to scale the tree with all the tenacity and lack of grace he was famous for.

Iris turned her back when he got to her level in the tree, crossing her arms and leaning into the trunk with a "harrumph!" "Why'd you have to follow me?" she complained, trying not to sniffle.

"Why'd you run away?"

"I... What?" she snapped, still not looking at him. "I didn't run away, I just wanted some fresh air. Is that not allowed?"

"But you left Axew behind..."

"He was having fun with Pikachu. I wasn't going to be gone for long."

Ash sighed; he was dense, but he'd been traveling with Iris long enough already to know something was up. Carefully he stood up on his branch, grabbing a higher one for balance as he made his way around to the other side of her. Iris promptly responded by turning around to look where he'd been, before he could even sit back down.

He tried going back to the first branch with the same results, then finally gave up, finding his balance on the branch she was on and sitting beside her cautiously. "Iris..."

He got no farther before she made a disgusted noise, throwing her nose into the air. "Why are you so persistent? You're such a kid."

Slight anger boiled up in Ash, and he started to pout until he managed to retort, "Yeah, well, only a kid would go hide in a tree when they're upset, instead of talking to their friends."

Iris gasped at his insult, blinking the last of the tears from her eyes. "Well excuse me for not wanting to interrupt while you were talking to your _girlfriends_," she spouted.

Ash was nearly speechless. "My what?"

"Oh puh-lease. Not even a kid like you wouldn't realize how bad all those girls have it for you." She blinked when his expression didn't change. "...You're really _that_ clueless?"

He shook his head slowly. "May has a boyfriend," he started, wobbling a little on the branch and putting his hands on it to steady himself. "Dawn... Well, I never had a sister, but I think if I had, that's what it would have been like. I guess maybe Misty kinda liked me, but she was always a bit over the top about things..."

He was blushing now, embarrassed enough at his ignorance and the accusation that he was having a hard time looking at Iris. "Good grief, Ash," Iris said with a sigh. "People really aren't your strong suit, are they?"

"Well, I guess I really don't know how any of this 'like' stuff is supposed to go," he admitted, turning his gaze back to her only to find that she was suddenly leaning much closer than she had been before. He jumped a little, straightening up slightly, his eyes wide.

"Kids usually don't know how it goes," she purred, her eyebrows raised.

"...I know I was really happy when you wanted to travel with me?" he offered, trying to decide whether he liked or felt uncomfortable at her expression. "And that it was a little different than when any of the others did?"

"...Ash Ketchum, are you saying you like me?" Iris giggled, leaning a little closer still.

He didn't know what to say, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "I-"

He was cut off by a loud cracking noise and the world shifting by a good two inches, causing him to grab the branch in fear and an attempt to catch his balance, while Iris grabbed his sleeve in search of the same.

The branch snapped just behind her, unable to take both of their weight for so long, and gravity took over, sending them plummeting to the ground where Ash landed flat on his back and Iris barely managed a more graceful fall beside him.

"S-sorry," he said, wincing and sitting up.

"I'm okay... are you?"

He started to nod, then was taken aback by an unfamiliar warm feeling against his lips and Iris's brilliant eyes very close to his.

"...Good," she said, staring at him for a split second... then hopping to her feet and sprinting back inside before he had a chance to respond.


	16. TrapinchPhanpy Gameverse

**Trapinch/Phanpy**

_Gameverse_

Their trainer wasn't one to introduce each new pokemon they caught to the others, so Trapinch really wasn't sure how long the new pokemon had been on the team when he first met her.

He was, however, sure that she was really weird looking, with those huge ears and that long nose. While he sat and waited for dinner, he laughed to himself about her, wondering what kind of moves something that silly looking could even use.

"What's wrong with your mouth?" was the first thing she said to him, setting off on a round of giggles. "It looks like a Smeargle drew it on in its sleep!"

He answered by biting her on the nose and shuffling off indignantly, leaving her to whimper and rub her trunk while he found his own dinner.

An hour later she was standing with a few pokemon he recognized better than her, because all of them had been caught before her. She was standing amongst them, crying and moaning about how mean he was.

"I always knew he was trouble," one of the others said, staring at him out the corner of their eye. "He's so funny looking, and a mouth that fierce has to be trouble."

He grumbled about how they were all weaker than him anyway, then went and buried himself for a while to sleep.

He didn't see her again for weeks, and that was just as well. She was mean, and she was weird looking. But he also saw battle less and less; he was losing frequently, much to his embarrassment, and his trainer was starting to yell at them a little longer with each loss.

One night he saw her, fresh from a battle and enjoying her dinner merrily, when he felt like he hadn't seen the outside in a week at least. His own bowl was only half full to begin with, and he stared at it in distress, feeling his stomach growl.

"Serves you right, loser," he heard one of the others say. "I heard master talking about putting him in the box soon." He ate his dinner in one gulp, curling up underground again as quickly as possible.

He woke back up to a strange poking, and when he opened his eyes Trapinch saw Phanpy standing over him. "Look, you're not going to get anywhere buried down there. Get up here and we'll train, unless you *want* to be boxed." She wagged her trunk in disapproval and sighed.

He climbed from the hole, looking at her sideways. "I thought you hated me."

"I don't hate any of my teammates. But also..." she motioned back toward the rest of the team, now fast asleep. "We're the only ones who haven't evolved yet."

"You think he's going to box us both, don't you?"

She nodded, then felt him nudge his big head against her ear. "We better both train hard, then," he announced.

She smiled and nuzzled back.


	17. DiaPeal Mangaverse

**Dia/Pearl  
**_Mangaverse_**  
**

"I don't know. It's still just not that funny."

"That's because you're not doing it right! Come on, let's practice one more time!"

"Can't we take a break first? I'm getting hungry..."

Pearl was ready to tear his hair out in frustration. No, Dia was never the most cooperative person when it came to their skits lately, but he could at least pretend he was trying. "No! One more time! You can eat when you get it right!" His own stomach was growling, of course, but that was because unlike someone he'd been pacing around trying to think of something. He'd been working, he had reason to be hungry. Dia's only reason was he was too lazy to do anything else most days.

Again, though, Dia's line came out all wrong. "Look!" Pearl shouted, grabbing at his hair again, "Either say the line right or just forget it!"

Missy had stopped pretending she wasn't watching, casting a haughty smirk at them instead. "You two should just argue on stage, it's funnier than your show."

"I think she might have a point with that one. We should try that after lunch," Dia agreed, nodding.

Pearl growled as the frustration started to boil over in him. "I can't work with you people! Do you hate me or something?" he demanded, staring his friend down.

"Nah, of course not. I love you man. Here, look." He wandered forward and gave Pearl the tightest hug he could, despite the resistance the taller boy immediately put up. "See? That's love. Want a kiss too?"

He puckered his lips, aiming for Pearl's cheek, and the blond immediately spazzed out, trying to wedge his arms between them to shove him away. "Dia, really, no, I get it, you can back off now!"

He let go, pouting dramatically for a moment before letting out a quiet, victorious chuckle. Missy was covering her mouth in the audience, trying very hard not to laugh at the antics. "Have it your way," Pearl finally announced, "we'll break for lunch, but then we're trying again."

Dia grinned, leaning to complete his attack while Pearl's guard was down, kissing him wetly on the cheek and then hopping off stage and out of reach as quickly as he could. The blond instantly started another barrage of insults, then noticed something unusual: Missy was buckled over at the waist, holding her stomach as she laughed.

Maybe, Pearl thought as he wiped his cheek clean on his sleeve, they'd have to find some way to work that into the act. Especially if it meant payback somehow.


	18. BrendanMay Gameverse

A/N: As is often the case, I uploaded two chapters today! Careful not to miss anything!

**Brendan/May – **After Kids

_Gameverse... or maybe Crackverse_

He couldn't sleep.

Daddy wasn't home and so he couldn't sleep. His eyes felt all puffy and sore and dry and his arms felt like they were going to fall off, because he'd barely slept right all week, ever since Daddy went on a trip and left him and Mommy home alone. And yet he was still lying awake, watching the little Lunatone and Solrock stencils of light swirl around his ceiling.

Mommy had told him that four was too young to have insomnia, whatever that meant, after she'd tried everything she could think of to help him sleep. Hot baths, cold baths, bedtime stories, milk... She was thinking of something called a "child psychologist" next, and had seemed so angry about the idea that he'd pretended to go to sleep tonight just so she wouldn't be upset. It wasn't like Daddy was usually the one to tuck him in, anyway. He was usually in the shower while Mommy got him and his baby sister ready for bed.

But there was only quiet coming from the wall in his room, the short lullaby CD having already finished, and he sighed. His sister was asleep in her crib on the opposite corner of the room, and she seemed fine. Maybe she just wasn't old enough to know when Mommy or Daddy left town yet. But he knew, he always knew, and he could never sleep when one of them left.

He got up carefully and toddled across the room to hit play on the CD player again, then stopped when he heard the front door slam open.

A grin flashed across his face, and he skittered to peek out the barely cracked door. Daddy was home!

"May, I'm home!" he called, and Mommy came rushing out from the kitchen, hugging him tightly and then hushing him.

"Thank Arceus, I missed you, Brendan."

They hugged and kissed for a moment before she sighed, adding, "You should come home more quietly though. I don't need you waking up the kids."

"Right, sorry," he grinned, then headed for the hallway. Ruby gasped and rushed back to his bed so they wouldn't catch him awake.

"No don't! It's been a pain getting Ruby to bed all week. He's always like this when you're gone. You can surprise them in the morning."

"Fine then, I'll have to get all my welcome home hugs and kisses from you." He heard Daddy laugh, then Mommy laugh too like she was being tickled, and then their door close.

Ruby pulled the covers up tighter. Daddy was home, and he was tired, but for some reason he still wasn't _sleepy_. He didn't know what was still wrong, and he thought about going out to say hi to Daddy, but he knew he wasn't supposed to leave his room at night unless he had to go potty or had a nightmare.

Then the wall next to him thunk-ed, then again, and suddenly he yawned. A couple minutes later, the wall sounded like a drum just a couple inches from his head, and a smile was plastered across his face.

That was what was missing. He didn't know why that rhythm comforted him so much, but he'd never been able to sleep without it.

Daddy was home, so now Ruby could sleep.


	19. NCheren Gameverse

**N/Cheren**

_Gameverse_

Cheren took a deep breath, leveled his chin, straightened his back, then issued the words of challenge he'd been practicing all day.

"If you want her, you're going to have to go through me."

N stared back at him, his gaze a little too steady for Cheren's comfort; it was like he didn't blink, ever.

"Who?"

"White."

Considering this was the first time Cheren had ever spoken directly to him, N was understandably confused. "Who are you? Her boyfriend?" He wasn't quite sure how these things went, considering White was the first non-pokemon person he'd ever considered a friend, but he was fairly certain that Cheren was trying to issue a challenge only a mate was supposed to issue.

"Not yet." His voice wavered, but he managed not to stutter, and his only hesitation was too deep of a breath. N had to admit he was impressed by this; most people were inherently intimidated or afraid of him, and he'd think someone in such a position would be doubly so.

He smiled. "My intentions with her aren't of that sort," he issued calmly. "She's simply my friend."

A shiver went down Cheren's spine at the coolness of this man's voice, the unnaturalness of his posture and attitude unsettling, even though he knew N was on the "good" side by now. "That's good," Cheren muttered. His confidence was still full-force, but he hadn't prepared a speech for this part. He'd expected resistance, a challenge, maybe even a battle. Not an uncomfortably innocent, almost pretty smile.

"Good luck. I hope you're strong... I don't think she wants to be with someone who's not strong..."

Cheren's thumb ran over the pokeball he'd been clutching, taking another deep breath; he felt his glasses starting to slip as his forehead and nose grew sweaty from nerves. "I- of course I am." He pressed the button, preparing his pokemon for combat-

N was too close, too quickly, and his fingers were too soft as they set to his temples, pushing Cheren's glasses back into place. "We have no need to fight... I have no interest in her..." he said, his voice joining the "too"s as it was too low for comfort. Then his lips set to Cheren's forehead, in a way the younger boy had seen him treat his pokemon.

The next moment he was gone, and he'd taken Cheren's will to move with him.


	20. IrisBianca Gameverse

**A/N:** We've made it through 20 prompts now! Yaaay! Counting the number that the other FFA members filled (the links are in the first chapter), we've passed 40 done, and there's only another 20 to go. The end is in sight finally!

That means I'll be returning to my regularly scheduled programming soon, and while I have plans for Roommates, most of my slate is clean right now. That's where you guys come in.

I want to hear what pairings and characters everyone'd like to see more of from me. I've gotten a couple messages along the way, but this is an open invitation to request more. I can't promise I'll write everything that gets suggested, but I can promise I'll take it all to heart and write what I can. So drop me a Note or leave a Review, whatever works. Thanks~!

P.S. This was another "two in one day" upload!

* * *

**Iris/Bianca**  
_Gameverse_

"You're too good for a smarty-pants like him."

Bianca was bewildered by the sudden outburst from the much smaller girl standing beside her. They were both watching Cheren fade into the distance, and it wasn't until Iris's announcement that Bianca had realized her cheeks were warm as she watched him. Her eyes stung a little, too, at the words he'd said, but she'd held back the tears since that was the strong thing to do.

"Wh-what?" she stammered, wobbling slightly.

"I don't like him. He's mean, and thinks he's better than everyone else just because he knows things."

Bianca nodded slowly, trying to think of what to say to defend her friend, only to be caught off guard yet again by her little bodyguard grabbing her hand tightly. "You shouldn't give your heart to someone like that. He'll just boss you around and tell you what to do forever."

She managed a smile at the girl's authoritative tone. "He's been a good friend for a long time," she whispered. "When you grow up, you'll understand."

Iris turned to her, eyes shining brightly as she scowled. "I'm already grown up. I'm a gym leader! And I'm stronger than he'll ever be, because of _this_." She thumped her free hand over her heart, standing straighter to stretch every inch out of her tiny frame. "I know things with my heart, not books or my head. You gotta actually _do_ things to know them."

Bianca smiled wider, laughing a little as she realized tears had started leaking down her face at the younger girl's speech. "Yeah, you're probably right," she said, wiping her eyes with the heel of her palm. "He is a little stuck-up sometimes. B-but I can't help but admire someone that strong."

The grip on her hand got tighter, and when she opened her eyes again Iris was staring her down with the most dire expression she'd ever seen on the 12-year-old's face. "I already told you," she announced, "I'm _way_ stronger than he'll _ever_ be."

There was no warning before Iris planted her lips to Bianca's, and no ceremony to her actions. She simply did what was in her heart at that moment, then flashed her largest grin. "A good bodyguard can't let her charge cry, anyway!"

They were off again, Bianca being dragged along by one arm as usual, before she had a chance to ask what had happened. But she wasn't crying anymore.


	21. HikerRed? Gameverse

**Hiker/Red?  
**_Gameverse_

"Y'know, you remind me of myself when I was younger."

No, Red didn't know. And he wasn't sure he wanted to know, because while this Hiker was still clearly fit enough to make it halfway up the mountain on his own, Red had no desire to find out how one tripled their weight over their adult life.

"Maybe if I'd ever had a son, he woulda been like you, too."

Initially the offer of food instead of winnings money had appealed to Red. he didn't honestly care too much for cooking, but he cared even less for canned lunches, and if memory served him right, the excellent granola recipe he'd picked up in Johto had been from a Hiker. Thus, he figured they were mostly skilled at cooking in the wild, or at least more skilled than him.

And he wasn't wrong. Whatever it was this Hiker had grilled over the campfire tonight – he suspected it was a Pidgey, as it was just a little fatty – was cooked better than Red could have managed, even with Charizard's help.

But the conversation wasn't quite worth the food quality. And the man's complete disregard for personal space _definitely_ wasn't. This time instead of merely scooting away, Red pointedly got up, stretched, circled a third of the way around the campfire, and sat back down, this time with Pikachu between himself and the older man. He in turn looked up, sniffed the air disgustedly, and climbed right back over his Trainer's lap to put more space between himself and the Hiker.

Red cast a glare at his partner, who pulled his tail over his eyes and began to snore quietly.

He was roused from his fantasy of shoving Pikachu back into his ball and leaving him in his spare shoes for a week by a heavy arm slamming him around the shoulders. "You ain't half bad lookin' either, kid," he announced, letting out a hearty laugh. "I'd like to think I was better looking when I was your age, but we all have our prime."

His shoulders were too weighted down by the Hiker's arm for him to have a chance at escaping. He thought about turning to look his doom right in the face, but he stayed staring into the fire instead. He could show no fear. "Ahhh yes, the mountains are beautiful at night." There was no slur to the man's speech, so it was clear he wasn't even drunk. Red was unsure if that was more or less troubling, in context. "But it gets mighty lonely, you know?"

Red was done listening. Sure, maybe he was misunderstanding, but he wasn't taking any chances when there were no other humans for miles and no one he had with him knew Teleport. He grabbed Pikachu by the tail and yanked – not hard enough to hurt him, but hard enough to piss him off, resulting instantly in a Thunderbolt coursing up the boy's arm. And since the Hiker had such a good grip on Red's bicep, it also zapped straight through the larger man, who shouted in pain, his grip finally relenting when the shock ended.

Red leaped to his feet, sizzling slightly but more than used to his partner's zapping by now, enabling him to recover quickly. Pikachu was on his backpack by the time he picked it up, loading them both onto his back at the same time. He hesitated only long enough to be sure he hadn't triggered a heart attack in the Hiker, then bowed politely – he'd been treated to a meal, after all – and ran off into the night.


End file.
